Nine MPs get tax money to learn language

A Conservative backbencher who took Hebrew lessons costing more than £600 is among nine MPs who received foreign language training at taxpayers’ expense in the last financial year.

The £676.80 cost of Grantham and Stamford MP Nick Boles’s Hebrew instruction was disclosed under Freedom of Information Act rules.

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt spent £702.00 on Mandarin lessons, according to official figures.

A House of Commons spokeswoman said the House approved funding to enable members of Parliament to “learn a foreign language or develop existing skills in accordance with their parliamentary duties” in July 2001.

Provision is understood to be arranged by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with other MPs also taking up language lessons since they were introduced.